Biden-Harris Administration Announces $10M for States and Tribes to Accelerate Transmission Across the Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, today the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) announced $10 million available to states, tribes, and non-profit organizations to accelerate transmission deployment through the Transmission Acceleration Grants (TAG) Program. Created in response to feedback from state and tribal entities facing growing transmission needs and project backlogs, the TAG Program will support capacity building and local and regional transmission planning or siting and permitting process reforms.

“Transmission deployment must be accelerated to sustain this country’s growing electricity needs, protect against extreme weather events, and keep the lights on for rural and urban communities alike,” said Maria Robinson, Director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy. “DOE is committed to supporting states, tribes, and regional organizations in their transmission deployment activities with all the tools in our toolbox. Sustaining our electricity needs will can only be done through collaborative efforts that meet the needs of federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as neighborhoods and communities across the nation.” 

With electricity demand steadily increasing, there is a critical need to expand transmission capacity in the United States to enhance grid reliability, lower energy costs for families and business, and connect more clean energy resources to the grid. However, building new electric transmission projects can be difficult and time-consuming due to factors such as prolonged and fractured planning processes, difficulty securing financing, and the need to navigate complex environmental review processes. State and tribal siting and permitting authorities are often understaffed and lack the resources to adequately address their transmission demands.

The TAG Program was developed in response to stakeholders seeking transmission-specific technical assistance and capacity building support to address growing transmission portfolios and needs. TAG funding will allow states and tribes to engage in transmission planning and conduct efficient and effective siting and permitting processes, which will collectively help advance transmission infrastructure at a faster rate, increasing access to a diverse array of energy sources, reducing transmission congestion and energy prices, and delivering reliable, affordable power to consumers when and where they need it. Support provided by TAG can also help ensure that local communities are heard and impacts from new transmission infrastructure are effectively addressed.

Eligible activities include:

• Identification and evaluation of areas that may be designated as preferred locations for siting transmission infrastructure.
• Streamlining and centralizing transmission siting and permitting processes and approvals, especially in jurisdictions where permitting authority is spread among many different groups.
• Establishing state- or tribal-based funding or financing programs for transmission facilities.
• Increasing capacity of state and tribal siting authorities to help meet rising siting and permitting workloads, particularly where the siting and permitting authority faces unprecedented levels of demand.
• Developing new transmission-focused governmental organizations (e.g., state transmission authorities) or pursuing coordination among entities within the state or with other states.
• TAG funding can be used by individual states or tribes, or it can also be used collaboratively by non-profit organizations working with these entities, including regional transmission organizations and regional-state committees supporting multi-jurisdictional initiatives.

The technical assistance partnerships under the TAG program will be managed by TECHWERX, a collaboration made possible through an innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) set up by the DOE's Office of Technology Transitions (OTT). This agreement enables TECHWERX to broaden DOE’s engagement with innovative organizations and non-traditional partners, facilitating the rapid development, scaling, and deployment of clean energy solutions.

Applications for the first round of TAG funding are due by January 21, 2025, by 5:00 pm ET. An informational webinar will be held on November 13, 2024, at 1:00 pm EST. Registration is required.

Additional informational office hours will be announced for December and January.

Learn more about the Grid Deployment Office.